The Forgotten Treasure
by Lady RiRi
Summary: It's been seven years since graduation, and Jim is finally able to embark on his first voyage as first mate to Captain Amelia. While in space he meets up with a girl with no memories of her past, who may take Jim on the adventure of his life...
1. Chapter 1: Promise of Adventure

The Forgotten Treasure.

Disclaimer: I do not own Treasure Planet…I do own Marie! This is my first story so it's probably not very good so any suggestions are readily accepted. Personally I think it sounds choppy and I wasn't too sure if the guy that killed Mr. Arrow was Scroop…

**Chapter One- Promise of Adventure**

"Well Morph, what do you think? Did Captain Amelia make a good choice?" Jim Hawkins asked his little pink friend as they leaned against a rail separating the city from the ships.

Jim gazed up at the newly finished _Arrow Legacy_, the excitement evident in his eyes. In a few short hours he would be back in the stars, not as the troubled boy he once was or an academy student, but as Amelia's first mate! Out of all the ships he had seen, the _Legacy_ was still the most majestic in his opinion, but the _Arrow_ _Legacy_ was a close second.

"Good choice! Good choice!" Morph repeated as he searched Jim for any treats.

"First mate…I hope I can live up to you Mr. Arrow." Jim muttered as he absently fed Morph a cracker.

He felt a sense of pride in having thought of the name honoring Mr. Arrow, but guilt as well even though he knew Mr. Arrow's death was not his fault. The rest of Silver's crew was more than willing to talk of Scroop's hand in Mr. Arrow's murder in order to save their lives. At times Jim felt as if people's eyes were watching him constantly, just waiting for him to make a mistake. A mistake Mr. Arrow never made. In his dreams, people whispered, "Murderer! You were just dying to take his place!"

"Ah Jim. There you are. Your mother and I have been searching for you." Dr. Doppler replied breaking Jim from his thoughts.

"I'm sorry. I just have to see the ship everyday to make sure I'm not dreaming." Jim replied as he pushed off the railings and Morph disappeared into his pocket.

"Yes, it is a lovely vessel. Amelia will be pleased. Speaking of which, she is already in captain mode so it's best not to keep her waiting." Dr Doppler said as he and Jim paid one final glance to the ship before heading back to the inn.

Jim had barely opened the door when he was pulled into a metallic hug by a hysterical B.E.N., several small Dopplers, and his teary-eyed mother. Captain Amelia sat at a table calmly sipping tea seemingly uninterested in the emotional fest.

"Calm down…We're only going to be gone for a few months, a year at most. B.E.N. you're coming with me so why are you crying?!" Jim commented desperately trying to escape before looking to Amelia and Dr. Doppler for help.

"Chin up Mr. Hawkins. We already endured the same treatment. It is best for tears now instead of at departure. I do wish they were old enough to accompany us though." Amelia stated.

"This will be the first time that the children will been separated from us, but I must see the Terra Star's formation. An opportunity like this comes once in a lifetime!" Dr. Doppler finished.

"Since the Inn has become so busy, I can't run it alone. The little ones know this place so well, they'll be a tremendous help." Sarah Hawkins replied wiping tears from her eyes.

"Now that we all have had a good cry, it's time for bed for little ones and anyone departing tomorrow. I need my top crew members in superb form. Make sure that uniform is flawless Mr. Hawkins." Amelia ordered as she and her family climbed the stairs to their temporary rooms.

"Another rip roaring adventure with my buddy Jim! It's enough to make me lose my mind…again!" B.E.N. commented still holding on to Jim.

"I just thought it would be best for everyone to express themselves tonight instead of tomorrow. We don't want to embarrasses the first mate on his first official space journey. Jim, I'm so proud of you…" Sarah replied as she pulled Jim into another hug, not full of sadness but pride.

Jim held his mother the best he could considering there was a robot latched on to him. He knew she was upset about his going, but she accepted it just as she had done seven years ago.

"I know mom. Maybe we'll find another treasure. Enough for you to hire real employees." Jim replied knowing what her response would be.

"I don't care about treasure. I just want you to come back safely. Promise me you won't do anything too foolish! I love you too much to lose you…"

"I promise mom. I love you too…"

"Let's go B.E.N. Jim needs his rest." Sarah stated dragging B.E.N. away.

Jim took a sit at a table closest to the window, not in a rush to go to bed. He was too excited to sleep anyway. As he stared out the window he could feel the stars calling him. Taunting him with the promise of adventure.

Morning came and went and in what felt like the blink of an eye, it was time to depart. True to their word, there were no tears but hugs that did not want to end. Captain Amelia was in full force with her insults and countless orders as she made sure everything was ready for sail. Dr. Doppler was busily trying to insure all his equipment was handled carefully which was a lost cause for his pleas fell on deaf ears. Between looking after Ben and entertaining Morph (both were already getting in everyone's way), Jim was busy accounting for each and every crew member.

They were not as rough as the original crew, but were just as diverse. Out of them all, Jim was most impressed by Abe and Botter. Abe was a tough lizard looking man serving as the Gunner. Botter, a worm like creature with several eyes, was the Midshipman. Despite their appearance, in the brief moment he spoke with each, their intelligence was obvious. There were also two other humans aboard that Jim had already taken liken to. One was Trest, the navigator. He was about the same age as Jim with knowledge of the galaxy beyond his years. The other was Johnson, the ship's cook. He was an older man full of pride that took nonsense from no one. Jim had just checked off the last name when Captain Amelia finished her inspection.

"Well Mr. Hawkins is everyone present and accounted for?" Captain Amelia asked as she slid down the ship's main mast.

"Ready for sail Captain!" Jim replied with a smart salute.

"Host the anchors, secure lifelines, and prepare the gravity machine!" Captain Amelia ordered

"Host anchors and secure the lifelines! We set sail!" Jim shouted as the sails rose and the ship set off into the stars.

"Sail! Sail!" Morph repeated changing into a miniature copy of Jim

He, Captain Amelia, and Dr. Doppler waved one final goodbye to their family before the space port was out of site. Something greater than the formation of a star or even a treasure was waiting for them. Jim could feel it in his soul.


	2. Chapter 2: Ghost Ship

**Chapter 2- Ghost Ship**

The first few weeks of the trip passed uneventfully. Jim spent most of his time listening to Dr. Doppler gushing over his Terra Star and catering to Captain Amelia's every whim. In his free time he discussed hover boarding with Trest or listened to Johnson's many adventures. Johnson's stories always fascinated him for he had seen most of the galaxy, including places Jim had never heard of. His favorite was of a planet filled with lost technology that Johnson found only once, but could never find again. Johnson swore on his grave that some how the entire planet vanished without a trace.

Today, Jim did none of those things because the radar had picked up the signal of an unregistered ship which usually meant pirates. Captain Amelia had ordered all hands on deck--except Dr. Doppler, B.E.N, and Morph who were ordered to help Botter to keep the ship on track--armed and ready for an attack. What they saw made even Captain Amelia's hair stand on end.

They could only assume that the wreckage was once a ship. The sails were ruined and the main mast broken in two. An enormous hole went through the center of the **hull** that was much too large to have been caused by a cannon or a laser. Jim and Captain Amelia climbed up to the look out position for a closer look.

"The Marionette…" Captain Amelia read from the ship's side that barely escaped the hole.

"Should we take a look? Maybe there are still clues as to what happened..." Jim asked wanting to explore.

"This ship has been here for quite some time. Mr. Hawkins, your curiosity is contagious though. Right then, carry on with your investigation." Captain Amelia replied.

Jim hurried back down to deck noticing the uneasiness on the crew members faces. Other than Trest and Johnson, he knew there would be no volunteers so he did not ask, and part of him wanted to explore on his own. As the ship approached the deck of the other, Jim made sure his lifeline was secured and long enough, and his gun charged, before jumping aboard.

The ship was even more menacing onboard than Jim could imagine, but something was not right. There were no bones, weapons, or any sign that anyone had ever been aboard. He ran a finger along the rail and noticed there was not even any dust. The only thing out of place was a large chest next to the broken mast. As Jim approached the chest, he noticed that there was one lifeline still attached to the mast. Jim kept his eyes on the lifeline as he tried to pick the lock. It took a few minutes, but just as he suspected it was empty. He slowly stood back up in time to notice that the lifeline was moving. Jim threw caution to the wind and quickly turned around in time to see a cloaked figure climbing aboard with a bag full of loot Jim knew came from the _Arrow Legacy_.

"Hey stop!" Jim shouted causing whoever to drop the bag.

The person hesitated for a moment, before pulling out a small knife. Jim could not see the person's face, but he knew he was in no danger. For starters, the person held the knife with both hands and had not attacked the moment Jim spoke. In fact, the person seemed more concerned with the bag than Jim. Jim slowly approached with his hands raised away from his gun trying to show he meant no harm, but as soon as he was in reach the person attacked.

Jim was caught by surprise with the first strike that grazed his cheek, but avoided the second entirely. He continued to back away as his attacker relentlessly pursued, trying to buy time as he thought of a non lethal solution to his problem. He waited until the next strike before rolling on the ground, around his attacker, and pulling the attacker's lifeline, causing the other to fall and drop the knife. They both scrambled for the knife, with the attacker reaching first, but Jim easily overpowered the other person. He kept the thief's arms pinned to the ground using one hand as he pulled the hood from the other's face.

The thief turned out to be a young girl, around Jim's age who would have been quite pretty if not for the glare she was giving him. Jim only stared at her as she struggled to free herself. She was human with barely shoulder length raven black hair pulled into a loose braid and green eyes.

"Top notch job Mr. Hawkins! Johnson said he saw someone sneaking from that ship, but we could find neither head nor tails of her. Right then Mr. Hawkins, use that lifeline to secure her and bring her aboard. She may be a thief, but she is still a young girl and my conscious won't allow me to leave her here." Captain Amelia ordered as she opened the bag that the thief dropped.

"On second thought, wait with her in my cabin and send Dr. Doppler over. This ship's design is quite curious…The gravity machine is operating, but the severity of damage this ship received that should be impossible." Captain Amelia muttered so low Jim thought she might have been talking to herself.

Jim did as he ordered, which was difficult seeing as the girl was much stronger than she looked. He kept a tight hold on her especially during the jump although he was sure she was bruising his legs with her kicks. Dr. Doppler couldn't resist a chuckle as he quickly rushed over to the other ship once given the message, leaving Jim alone with the captive. She seemed to forget Jim entirely as she examined the captain's quarters although she was tightly tied to a chair.

"So who are you?" Jim asked drawing her attention back to him.

She stared into his eyes and like before, Jim could not force himself to look away. Their eye contact was only broken by Morph--who must have snuck back in during the struggle--popping out of Jim's pocket to examine the girl. She followed Morph's every move except when he went around her back, but pulled away when he returned to her face. She grimaced at first when Morph rubbed against his first, but after deciding he was harmless, she smiled. Morph took the smile as a sign to continue before changing into a miniature version of her. She stared in awe at Morph before Morph changed back into himself and licked her before retreating back to Jim.

"That's Morph. Don't let his looks fool you…He's a real jokester." Jim commented, hoping for some kind of response.

The girl opened her mouth as if to respond, but before she could say a word, B.E.N. rushed in. B.E.N. began frantically examining Jim head to foot, while Jim tried to get a word. Jim knew this was going to take awhile the moment B.E.N. saw the scratch on his face.

"My buddy Jim attacked by a savage wild man! Did he hurt you? I'll get the ship's doctor! Don't tell me it's already too late?!" B.E.N. screamed in hysterics until Jim finally grabbed him by the shoulders to hold him still.

"B.E.N., I'm fine and your wild man is sitting right there." Jim replied turning Jim to face the girl.

"How do you do? Forgive my manners; I wasn't aware there was a lady in the room." B.E.N. said, completely unaware she was the one that attacked Jim.

"Maria…"

She spoke so quietly that at first Jim wasn't sure she spoke at all. Her voice was slightly raspy as if she had not spoken in a long time. Morph heard though and quickly transformed back into a miniature copy of her.

"Maria, Maria!" Morph chanted causing her to laugh.

"So you'll tell the blob and robot your name, but not me?" Jim asked trying to break the tension between them.

"You snuck on to my ship and tried to steal my treasure…" Maria answered more confident than before.

"I did not! I didn't even know there was chest until I came on board!" Jim replied matching her tone.

"Then why did you come aboard?" Maria shouted obviously upset.

"I just wanted to explore! What's your excuse for sneaking on our ship?" Jim

asked trying to calm down.

"To steal food for her ship. Now Mr. Hawkins conduct yourself as a proper first mate. " Captain Amelia answered walking through the door with Dr. Doppler and surprisingly Johnson.

Captain Amelia cut the rope tying Maria to the chair and sat behind her desk. Jim glanced curiously at the two other men, but did not comment for there was no way for her to escape anyway. Dr. Doppler sat in the nearest chair as well and motioned for B.E.N. to leave. B.E.N. zipped his lips shut after giving Jim one final examination and left but could be heard shouting "Important meeting in the captain quarters, but mum's the word."

"Well then, we heard outside that your name is Maria correct? I am Dr. Doppler. She's my wife, Captain Amelia, and over there is Johnson." Dr. Doppler asked cleaning his glasses on his shirt and using them to point at each individual.

"Your ship is quite interesting…Tell me, how is it you managed to survive such an attack?" Captain Amelia asked intently checking Maria's face for any sign of a lie.

"An attack? There was an attack?" Maria asked confusion evident on her face.

"You don't know?" Jim asked in shock.

"I suppose it is possible that she experienced some trauma that resulted in memory loss, but I am no doctor in that field…" Dr. Doppler explained.

"I suppose that doesn't matter at this point. Your ship is our main concern. The technology it used is unlike any we've ever seen. There were no controls-" Captain Amelia started but was interrupted by Maria.

"I don't know anything about the ship…I don't know anything about me. Everything before a few months ago is a blank…All I know is that my name is Maria and that I have to protect the ship. Please all I asked is that you let me return to it." Maria pleaded.

The captain appeared to be in deep thought for a few minutes before she sighed.

"Mr. Hawkins, order the crew to tie _The Marionette _to us. Once you left the ship Maria, everything aboard shut down. Therefore it is unwise for you to return, but I can tell you will not leave it behind. If you keep sneaking aboard ships, like I'm sure you have been, someone will eventually have your head or enslave you. You are now a member of this crew and I am placing you under careful watch. Your first order is to accompany Mr. Hawkins's in his task."

Maria did not have a chance to voice her opinion before Jim pulled her from the room.

"Was it really a wise decision bringing her and the ship along?" Captain Amelia asked for the first time in her life unsure of one of her decisions.

"Aye Captain. Something happened to the rest of the people on that ship and that girl is going to remember eventually. Besides ships like those haven't existed in hundreds of years…" Johnson answered speaking for the first time since he entered the cabin.

"I suppose we'll see…" Dr. Doppler answered as he listened to Maria and Jim continue their earlier argument.


	3. Chapter 3: Not So Different

**Disclaimer: I do not own Treasure Planet...Since I did get a review, I'll continue the story. As long as someone thinks I should keep going, I will!**

**Chapter 3- Not So Different**

"Trest, I don't understand that woman! Maria is so…so…"

"You're just jealous that she pays more attention to that ship than you."

"That's not true! I couldn't care less what she thinks of me." Jim replied exhausted and still fuming over the most recent argument he had with Maria.

Jim and Trest were sitting above deck studying various maps, making sure they were still on track. Trest had spent the past half hour listening to Jim rant over how stubborn Maria was, and he was sure Johnson was going through the same with Maria. Personally he thought things would go a lot smoother between them if Jim understood how independent Maria was and if Maria accepted some help even if she did not need it. Of course neither would listen to reason.

"That would explain why you won't stop talking about her." Trest commented.

"It's just that she's so frustrating. I don't understand what she has against me." Jim commented leaning back on his hands staring into the sky.

Trest sighed as shadow of the mast began blocking the sun and making his maps too hard to read.

"Maybe if you two actually spent time talking instead of yelling…It's getting late. I'm going to drop these off with Botter and take a nap before my watch." Trest commented grabbing his maps and walking off.

Jim gave a farewell nod to Trest, but remained on the ground. He loved the quiet of sunrise and sunset. Everyone else was asleep or below desks and it was just him, the ship, and stars or at least he thought. Maria climbed up from the galley, carrying a basket, and quietly crossed over the deck to the rail facing the sunset. She could not see him due to the shadows, but he could see her every move. In the week she had been with them, he had seen her angry, happy, and occasionally sad, but never contented.

"Well Trest, you said we should talk instead of yell so here goes." Jim muttered as he approached Maria carefully.

He cleared his throat lightly to alert Maria of his presence, and she turned around slightly startled. Jim thought she looked relieved seeing him, but it was soon replaced with anger. Jim rolled his eyes prepared for a verbal assault that surprising never came. Instead she turned back to the sunset completely ignoring him. He shook his head in frustration, but stood beside her anyway.

"I was alone on that ship for months, so I know how to take care of myself." She commented stiffly.

"I thought you were going to fall." Jim replied simply.

"Anyone else could climb to the lookout post, and you wouldn't care. Then when I try to get a better view, you go crazy." Maria sighed.

"Everyone else is an experienced crew member. You're new."

"This is your first trip too, isn't it?"

"Yes, but I went to school for this."

Maria stared at Jim for a moment, and like the first time they met, Jim found himself unable to look away. There was always defiance in her eyes and everything she did, and at first Jim thought that annoyed him. Now he was not sure for this time, he was enjoying their argument--considering he was winning. Maria's walking away finally brought him back to his senses, and before she could get too far, he grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

"Tell me something. What does the sunset mean to you?" Jim asked with a smile on his face.

"I don't know. When I look at the sunset, I can almost remember something…I feel like nothing can go wrong so it must be a happy memory. Then when the sunset ends, I look back at my ship and realize how foolish that thinking is. Those few moments are worth the disappointment though." She answered after thinking for a moment.

"You looked so calm a few moments ago, but as soon as you realized I was here you were angry again." He commented curiously, but still choosing his words carefully.

"I wasn't angry at you. I guess I was upset because when I heard you, I glanced at my ship. That ship upsets me so much, but it still means a lot to me. I guess that's kind of strange." She replied with a small smile that held no happiness.

"I don't think so. A friend of mine died in space. For awhile I was upset with everything including the stars that took him. His death wasn't my fault, but that wasn't the only reason I changed my mind. I loved being in space more than I could hate it…" Jim replied.

"What does the sunset mean to you then?" Maria asked quietly.

"A new beginning's coming. No matter how bad a day is, the sunset means that's the end of that day and a new one is ready to go. You know, the sunset gives me time to think too. I remember my trip to Treasure Planet, or sometimes I plan my next adventure. Maybe you're remembering an adventure!" Jim exclaimed.

Maria smiled once again, but this time it was a true smile. Jim looked down and realized he was still holding her hand and tried to let go, but Maria squeezed it lightly instead. She dropped her basket and took his other hand as well before closed her eyes. Jim silently thanked his lucky stars that her eyes were closed because he could feel himself blushing which he never did.

"Tell me about Treasure Planet. I want to try and picture it. I think for all the trouble you put me through, you owe me. Besides since I don't have any memories of my own, maybe I can take one of yours." She asked.

Jim was surprised at her request, but everything felt strangely right. He did not know why, but for the moment he felt as if he had known her his entire life. With her hands in his, he knew she should learn everything about him.

"You don't need mine. I promise I'll do everything I can to help you remember. If we can't find your memories, then we'll just make more. Until then, I guess sharing my memories with you wouldn't hurt."

With that, Jim began his tale of Treasure Planet leaving nothing out. Other than the occasionally laugh or gasp, she did not interrupt. Once he finished, they merely enjoyed the last of the sun's rays while sharing the sweet contents of Maria's basket. Jim was not sure if things between them would change, but for the moment at least, they did not seem so different after all.

This was just a fluffy little chapter, but I promise the next will have more excitment. Hoverboarding and a giant worm bent on destruction coming soon!


	4. Chapter 4: What goes down

Disclaimer: I do not own Treasure Planet…I do own Marie! Morwicky is a word I made up on the spot. Worm+icky…The beginning is in Jim's point of view, but near the end, Maria voices her thoughts as well. Sorry about the different format. This was typed on a different computer and the format changed up on me...

**Chapter Four**

"Maria, wake up!"

Jim waited impatiently outside Maria's door with his hover board in hand. After they parted ways, he had spent the rest of the night working on a surprise. He could hear her moving around, and tried to hold back a smile. This would more than make up for the "trouble" he had caused her the past week. He knocked on the door again, and was greeted by Maria's scowling face.

"I'm pretty sure the rest of the crew is still asleep seeing as Johnson still is." She muttered.

"Then be quiet, or you'll wake him." Jim replied

Jim could hear the sleep still in her voice and dragged her out of the room. He led her up the stairs to the raised platform where the helm sat and looked around. The space looked large enough and far enough away from the cabins to keep from disturbing anyone. Jim sat the board on the ground, and turned Maria back around when she tried to escape.

"You wanted memories so we're about to make one. Have you ever hover boarded?" Jim asked as he stepped onto the board.

"What's a hover board?" Maria asked curiously.

Jim motioned for Maria to step on behind him and started the engine. Due to his tampering, the board only rose about a foot in the air. It was perfect for a beginner, but Maria clutched the back of his jacket tightly.

"It's like sailing in the air. A ship like this one sails through space, but a hover board sails into the sky." Jim explained as they slowly circled the platform.

"I'm guessing you brought me out at this hour to teach me, so get off. I want to try." Maria commented as she released Jim's jacket.

Jim wanted to object, but instead he obediently brought the board back to the ground. He stepped off, but cut the engine as well. He pointed to the switch that controlled the engine, and Maria rolled her eyes. He did not bother to hide his amusement as Maria started the engine, and fell to the side from the initial jolt. He easily caught her and laughed at her position. One of her legs remained the board, but the other hung limply while he held the rest of her body.

"I guess I should have mentioned it's not as easy as it looks…" Jim commented.

He pushed her back onto the board, but held it steady while she regained her footing. She was still wobbly, but at least she remained on board. He guided her around the platform by holding her hand, and offered helpful advice along the way. He had to admit that she was a quick study, and with a few more lessons, she probably would be able to ride the hover board well enough to join him in the next city.

"Lean into the turns more and relax. I'll catch you if you fall."

"That makes me feel so much better." Maria replied making sure Jim heard the sarcasm in her voice.

"Last time I do you a favor." Jim muttered, but noticed that she did take his advice.

A closing door signaled the end of their practice as Jim brought the board back to the ground and cut the engine. Maria ran down the stairs before him, but stopped and flashed a smile back at him. Even if they were becoming friends, a smile like that could only mean she wanted something. She fell into step with him with the same contented expression from the previous night.

"Thanks…I really appreciate what you tried to do." She commented softly.

"If you thought that was fun, wait until you really learn how to ride. It's the most amazing feeling in the world." Jim replied with a shrug.

"Not just that, but…Never mind. Can we try again tomorrow?" Maria asked as they reach the galley.

Jim nodded with a smile as Maria disappeared into the galley. He was about to enter his cabin and put the hover board away, but the ship's alarm rang. Captain Amelia was out of her cabin and up to the lookout post in five seconds flat before Jim had a chance to turn back around.

"All hands on deck! No one go unarmed! Abe, to your post now!" Captain Amelia shouted urgency.

Jim ran to the ship's rail and searched the distance. He was not sure what, but something was coming towards them fast. He rushed back into his cabin, grabbed his gun and was met by Trest on his way out.

"What's going on?" Trest shouted above the noise of the other crew members.

"You'll be the first to know when I find out myself." Jim replied returning to the rail.

Captain Amelia tossed the telescope down to Trest who quickly passed it to Jim. Jim looked through and could not believe his eyes. A worm, almost as big as the _Arrow's Legacy_, was approaching. Jim silently handed the telescope to Trest whose reaction was the same. Johnson rushed from the galley with a sword in his hand followed by Maria, B.E.N. and Dr. Doppler. Dr. Doppler took the telescope and dropped it from shock.

"If I remember correctly, that's a Morwicky. They have been extinct for years!" Dr. Doppler shouted as he rushed to relay the news to Amelia.

Maria tried to grab the telescope, but Johnson snatched it from her hands. He peered through, and wordlessly followed the path of Dr. Doppler. Morph popped out from one of Maria's pockets hearing the commotion and quickly floated into Jim's hand. Jim patted Morph absently watching as the worm slowly became visible to the naked eye.

"Well Jim, buddy, my amigo, you have a brilliant idea of how to get us out of this right?" B.E.N. asked as he casually leaned against Jim.

"I was hoping the captain did…" Jim replied.

B.E.N. nodded calmly before he ran off screaming all the ways they were going to die. Maria took Morph from Jim and he faintly noticed her hands were trembling. He could tell from her eyes she was terrified, but she was hiding her fear well. He took off his uniform jacket and draped it around her shoulders.

"Go back into the galley and hide. I'll come and get you when this is over." He ordered as he left to join the captain.

Maria nodded slightly, but did not move. She merely clutched Jim's jacket tightly as everyone rushed around her. She couldn't tell why, but the scene was familiar to her. The worm was now close enough for her to see sharp teeth circling its entire mouth, but there were no eyes. The worm slid in and out through the hole in the _Marionette_ perfectly before stopping. Although the worm had no eyes, Maria could feel it watching her. She took a step back and the worm rushed towards her.

"Shoot it down!" Captain Amelia shouted.

On her command, everyone on the ship opened fire. The shots, even the ones from the cannon, bounced off as if they were mere pebbles. Maria could not force herself to move, but before the worm could reach her, Jim shoved her to the ground. He covered her with his own body as the worm stopped above them.

After what seemed like forever, the worm returned back to the _Marionette. _It wrapped its long body through the hole and around and began to pull. The ropes tying the ships together tightened and Jim could feel the _Arrow's Legacy_ being pulled off course.

"Cut the lines! Cut the lines!" Jim ordered as he tried to keep Maria still.

Johnson was the first to reach the ropes. He swung from rope to rope cutting each as he landed. Maria was on the verge of hysterics, but Jim had more important things on his mind. He used his free hand to shoot the ropes Johnson could not reach. After the last rope was severed, the worm left as quickly as it had come with the_ Marionette _in tow

"Well at least now we know what caused the hole in the ship…" Jim muttered as he pushed himself off of Maria.

He offered a hand to help her up, but Maria slapped it away. The fear was gone, and was replaced by fury.

"You said you would help me get my memories back, but you lost the one thing that could help me!" She shouted as she stormed into the galley.

"Jim don't worry. She knows you saved her life, but just doesn't like the way you did it." Dr. Doppler commented as Maria slammed the door.

"I'm not concerned with her little temper tantrum. That thing was after Maria, and I'm positive it will come back. I wish we knew what stopped it though." Captain Amelia stated as she dropped to the ground.

Jim shook his head in frustration. He knew he had done the right thing, but from the way he felt, maybe he should have just let the worm eat him. At least Maria would not consider him the scum of the galaxy. He highly doubted another hover board lesson would make up for this mess.


	5. Chapter 5: Might Come Up

**Chapter Five**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Treasure Planet. I do own Maria. Thanks for the reviews! I'll keep writing as long as people want more.**

"Maria, its Trest. You've been in there all day. You have to come out sometime." Trest shouted through the door as Jim watched on.

When Maria did not respond, Trest shrugged his shoulders in defeat. Since the incident, Maria had not come from her room. Jim had offered everything from his hover board to B.E.N.--though he could not think of a reason why she would want him--for her to talk to him. He would even appreciate her yelling. The only option he had left was to tell the Captain, but he did not want to appear unable to handle the crew. Jim knocked once again and pressed his ear to the door, but still heard no movement.

"Well she'll get hungry eventually." Trest commented as he returned to his duties.

Jim nodded and looked to the stars. The first ones were beginning to show, but no one except Maria was in the cabins. Like him, everyone was too nervous to sleep. He sat back against Maria's door and lightly tapped his head back against it.

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. How could I have been so stupid?" He muttered emphasizing each word with a thump of his head.

The more he muttered the word stupid, the more an idea formed in his mind. Maria had Morph! He quickly stood back up and stood to the edge of the door. This was going to hurt, but hopefully his plan would work.

"You could at least open the door and let Morph out…" Jim called out.

"Out! Out!"

Jim could hear Morph through the door and made a mental note to feed Morph anything he wanted. The door cracked slightly and Morph slid out, but before it could close again, he slipped his hand inside. He flinched slightly as Maria tried to close the door, but refused to move.

She threw the door opened and tried to shove him out of the way, but he held his ground. Her eyes were red and tears still streaked down her cheeks, and Jim knew she had been crying the entire time. Instinct made him reach out and try to brush the tears away, but Maria drew back sharply.

"Go away…" She muttered as she tried to go back into her room, but Jim quickly blocked her way.

"Maria, I'm sorry. I should have done more. We'll get your memories back somehow. I promise." Jim replied.

"I think I remember you making a promise before and looked what happened." Maria muttered.

This Maria was driving Jim crazy. He wanted the feisty Maria who refused to back down to him back. She was not supposed to be this broken and depressed person standing in front of him.

"Would you have rather me let the worm eat you?" He asked softly.

"Yes. For a second I thought I remembered something, but the moment the worm left, the memory faded. I…hate you." Maria muttered.

Jim did not bother to stop her as she pushed by him and closed her door. All feeling had left his body. Maria hated him. He let her down the moment she needed him most. He didn't even notice Morph rubbing against his cheek to comfort him.

"Mr. Hawkins, is something troubling you?" Captain Amelia asked.

Jim merely shook his head and walked off. Captain Amelia wanted to berate him for what she considered obvious disrespect, but the way he walked calmed her tongue. His shoulders were slumped and he dragged his feet. Captain Amelia turned her attention to Morph who changed into a miniature version of Maria.

"Hate you! Hate you!" Morph repeated.

Captain Amelia nodded and sent the nearest crew member who happened to be Johnson to fetch Dr. Doppler. After a few moments Dr. Doppler arrived with his nose buried in a book.

"One moment dear. I must finish this chapter on the Terra Star."

"The chapter can wait. My first mate is acting in a most inappropriate manner, and I need you to speak with him." Captain Amelia ordered as she knocked on Maria's door.

"What would I know about…I see. Then I shall leave you with the worse task…" Dr. Doppler replied with a smile.

He stroked the captain's cheek in a show of affection before leaving with Morph. Captain Amelia smiled slightly, but when the door opened, returned to her captain's glare. The effort it took to change was wasted because one glance at Maria's face melted her glare.

"Maria. I need to speak with you concerning Mr. Hawkins. May I come in?" Captain Amelia asked.

Maria nodded and instantly Captain Amelia could see why Jim was so upset. She strolled slowly into Maria's room and looked around. She had meant to check Maria's room before, but something always came up. Johnson had turned the storage room into a makeshift bedroom. There was a hammock, a few charts scattered around, and a stray book on the floor. Maria sat and swung slightly on the hammock, but her eyes remained glued to the floor.

"Maria I know losing something important hurts, but you are taken this too far. Mr. Hawkins risked his life to save you and as thanks you say you hate him? You are behaving like a spoiled child." The captain scolded.

"What would you know? Unlike me, you have a family. You have something to look forward to when your journey is complete. I don't have anyone waiting for me to return. I don't have anything…" Maria replied as she rubbed her eyes roughly.

"You are not the only person to have lost something. I'm sure you know all about the history of this ship from Mr. Hawkins so I won't go into detail. I see my coming here was pointless seeing as you have no legitimate excuse for your behavior." Captain Amelia stated as she placed a hand on Maria's shoulder.

"One more thing before I go…Someone is waiting on you. In fact, I believe he's been waiting all day outside your door. Perhaps if or when you realize that, you may have something to look forward to each day." Captain Amelia commented softly as she left the room.

Captain Amelia closed the door softly and noticed the ship had calmed considerably. Other than Jim standing by the rail the rest of the crew had returned to their cabins. As she walked into her quarters, she couldn't help but hope Dr. Doppler had more luck than she had.

Jim glanced behind him hearing a door close, but there was no one else in sight. Morph floated lazily by Jim and exploded into fireworks. Jim smiled slightly and Morph rubbed happily against his face.

"Thanks for trying Morph, but it's going to take more than that to cheer me up. Do you think I did the right thing?" Jim asked his small companion.

"Right thing!" Morph repeated disappearing into Jim's pocket.

"What's wrong with me? Why am I letting one girl's opinion get to me so much? I'm the first mate! Everyone else on this ship respects me…" Jim muttered to himself.

Maria's door opened slightly, but she did not come out. Jim guessed she saw him and decided she did not want to face him. He sighed softly and turned back to the rail. He did not want to see her cry again, but maybe she would listen this time.

"Maria, I'm pretty sure you can hear me. I'm sorry for losing your ship, but I'm not sorry for the decision I made. In case you didn't realize it, you have a better chance recovering your memories alive than dead." Jim stated.

Maria walked slowly from her room and joined Jim hesitantly by the rail. He considered explaining himself further, but there was nothing left for him to say. It was Maria's choice to forgive him or not.

"What do you plan to do once this journey is over?"

Jim glanced down at Maria to make sure he wasn't hearing things. She was no longer crying, and Jim could see real curiosity in her eyes. He knew exactly what he wanted to do after this voyage, but Maria was giving him doubts.

"Well, I want my own ship. I want to keep traveling the stars…" Jim replied simply.

"You won't miss your mother?"

"Well of course, but I'll come back often to visit her. She's accepted how much space means to me." Jim answered thoughtfully.

"Can…Can I come with you?"

Jim could only stare at her. Her question caught him completely off guard. She hated him yet wanted to travel the stars with him. At first he thought she was joking, but she was completely serious.

"It's just that I don't have anywhere to go. Space is the only thing I have ever known. I would ask Captain Amelia to be a permanent member of her crew, but she doesn't have time to worry about my memories. If you become a captain, I could still search for who I really am. That is if you wanted to…" Maria continued.

"If you want to become part of my crew, you're going to have to know more about space. See that star over there? That's…"

As Jim pointed out the various constellations, he could not help but smile. He was beginning to understand that with Maria, he would have to compromise and read between the lines. She had forgiven him and at the same time apologized for her words.

Jim wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders and leaned down to more closely point at a constellation she was having trouble finding when their eyes met. Neither realized they were moving closer until they were barely an inch apart, but Morph popped from Jim's pocket and licked Maria. They stared at each other for a moment before Maria smiled. For some reason the situation struck Jim as incredibly funny and he could not help but laugh, and after a few seconds, Maria joined in. As they stood laughing, Jim had to admit traveling the stars with Maria did not sound like a bad idea.

Next time: The ship stops to refuel and stock up on supplies and Maria's faced with a choice. She can either stay on the planet or finish the journey to the Terra Star. An old friend of Jim's makes an appearance as well who offers Jim advice that Jim may have no choice but to accept...


	6. Chapter 6: Silver's Return

**Chapter Six**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Treasure Planet, just Maria. The first part of this chapter will be mostly from her point of view and the later part Jim. This might be long so get a snack…**

The next week passed uneventfully. Due to the approaching docking for supplies, the entire crew was constantly working except Maria. Dr. Doppler was always reading a new book regarding the Terra Star and Johnson stayed locked in the kitchen, only appearing to serve meals. Even B.E.N. was too busy to chat--with what she had no idea. Her only faithful companion was Morph, but today he too had disappeared. She was completely bored, but her room was the only safe haven from the activity outside.

"Blossom Space Port, famous for exotic plants found on no other known location, has officially been named the closest inhabited station to the Terra Star." Maria read although she knew the pamphlet from memory.

Someone banged on the door, and Maria tossed the pamphlet to the floor. She was almost to the door when Jim burst through. She had barely seen him since their near-kiss experience. She felt a sarcastic comment was appropriate, but the excitement in his eyes silenced her.

"Come on! We're almost to the port! If you stay in here, you'll miss the landing!" He exclaimed as he dragged Maria from the room.

They climbed mid way up the rigging and the view was already breathtaking. There were more people and species than she thought possible. The streets were decorated with stars in honor of the Terra Star, and there were even star shaped flowers. Everyone had on some type of star apparel from Terra Star hats to t-shirts.

"Mr. Hawkins! Get down from there this instant! You are a first mate, not a star struck tourist!" Captain Amelia shouted.

Jim saluted quickly, but Maria caught his wink. She faked a yawn to hide her laughter as Jim climbed down. The ship docked slowly and the crew quickly tied everything down and eagerly awaited orders from the captain. Maria climbed down carefully and barely made it down before the captain's speech.

"Stupendous job with the docking, crew. A nearly flawless job I might add. We depart sunrise three days from now. Mr. Hawkins you are on first watch and Johnson will relieve you in four hours. Maria, to my cabin at once. Dismissed." Captain Amelia ordered as she walked off.

"Don't worry. I'll show you around when my duty's over." Jim whispered as Maria nodded and followed the captain.

Maria closed the door behind her and sat next to Dr. Doppler who smiled at her over his book. Captain Amelia seemed to be in deep thought and Maria felt an odd sense of dejavu. The captain pulled a book from her desk and turned it towards Maria. Maria opened the book slowly and was surprised to see a list of names of all the crew members. Her name was the only one missing.

"Do you see the problem?" Captain Amelia asked and Maria nodded.

"When you first arrived, I mentioned that you were a member of this crew. I'm sure you realized that I did not treat you as a member of the crew because of this moment. Maria, I had every intention on leaving you on this planet." Captain Amelia continued.

Maria stared at the captain in shock, but did not respond. She felt like if she even tried to talk, she would break out in tears. She nodded to the captain sadly and stood to leave, but Dr. Doppler pulled her back to her seat.

"You really should hear the rest of what she has to say." Dr. Doppler commented.

"Listen to him, Maria. Even a stopped clock is correct once a day." The captain replied with a hint of a smile.

"As I was saying, I planned to leave you on this planet, but you had several allies against me. Dr. Doppler, Johnson, Trest, and Mr. Hawkins especially voiced their complaint which is why I am letting you decide. You can either sign your name and become a full member of this crew or begin a new life on this planet." Captain Amelia stated.

Without hesitation, Maria picked up the pen but paused before signing her name. This is what she wanted, but she also wanted to see what a stationary lifestyle was like. Maria opened her mouth to voice her opinion, but Dr. Doppler beat her to it.

"Of course you have time to make your decision. Amelia dear, wasn't there something else you had to tell Maria?"

"Ah yes. I'm sure you plan to explore this planet with Mr. Hawkins which is fine, but I must ask that you find time to shop for clothes. I believe Mr. Hawkins will cover the expenses since he asked for half his pay for today. Be sure to thank him. That's all."

"Aye Captain!" Maria replied with a smile as she opened the door.

B.E.N. fell into the room and Maria only laughed as she dragged him out by his legs. Jim was leaning against the main mask and anyone who did not know him would have thought he was the very picture of relaxed. His arms were crossed and he even managed a fake yawn. Maria could tell he was nervous for he was tapping his finger against his arm and didn't notice when she came out.

"I believe you lost B.E.N." Maria commented.

"No I didn't. It's not like I own him…" Jim replied with a shrug

"Still here. You can let go now Maria." B.E.N. commented but both ignored him.

Maria gave a cheerful wave to the captain and Dr. Doppler as they departed from the ship before returning her attention to Jim. If he wanted to act cool about the situation, then so could she. If Jim was so eager to know her decision that he would send B.E.N. eavesdrop for him, then he would just have to ask her himself.

"Come on B.E.N. You can help me get Jim's hover board. We do have four hours to waste before we leave the ship." Maria commented dragging B.E.N. to Jim's room.

Jim

Jim checked his watch for the fiftieth time as he watched Maria soar around the ship. Even without his help, she had gotten quite well on her own. She still wasn't at the full engine level, but Jim was pretty sure she could ride it. After what seemed like forever, Johnson climbed on board the ship and Jim motioned for Maria to come down. Jim barely had time to tell Johnson goodbye before Maria dragged him off the ship.

For the next hour Jim was forced to sit outside a clothing store waiting as Maria tried on everything in the store. He watched the people go by with faint amusement. He would not be caught dead in any of the Terra Star attire. A familiar voice behind him, broke his train of thought.

"Oi Jim me boy! Is this ye new spot? Tis a shame since I pictured ye sumwhere letting that light of yours shine."

"Silver!"

Silver pulled Jim into a bear like hug before each man began examining the other. Silver hadn't changed a bit, but Jim did think his belly was bigger. Morph must have heard Jim for he rushed out of Jim's pocket to nuzzle Silver's cheek.

"Where have you been Silver? Eating well I see." Jim asked.

"Treasure hunting mostly. Haven't found one as grand as Treasure Planet though. Speaking of which, the cap'n wouldn't be around would she? I would ask ye what you've been up to, but I have an idea…" Silver answered nodding behind Jim.

Maria was holding several shopping bags that she tossed at a shocked Jim. She had undone her braid which caused her hair to fall in waves to her shoulder, but her dress surprised him more. It was a light blue sundress that was a huge jump from her normal work clothes.

"And who might this pretty lass be?" Silver asked tipping his hat to her.

"Maria, this is Silver…I told you about him before remember?" Jim replied.

Maria nodded and extended her hand for Silver to shake, but instead he kissed her hand. With a little begging from Jim, Silver joined the exploration. After the first fifteen minutes, Jim wished he hadn't asked. He thought Silver would keep him company, but Silver only backed every decision Maria made. Jim found himself walking around in a five pointed jester hat with little balls that spelled out "Terra" and carrying more bags than he thought possible. Maria was on her fifth star shaped doughnut and chatting with Silver about his various adventures. Maria was about to bite into her last one, when an ice cream stand caught her eye. She shoved the doughnut in Jim's mouth and rushed off. Silver laughed and sat heavily on a bench followed by Jim.

"This isn't half bad." Jim commented between bites.

"Aye…So Jimbo, how did ye manage to catch a lass like her?" Silver asked.

"It's nothing like that! We're just friends. We found her aboard an abandoned ship called The Marionette. Before we came along, she stole food from ships that stopped to explore. A giant worm, a Morwicky, destroyed the ship some time ago, but she doesn't remember anything about the attack or herself." Jim explained.

"The Marionette? Jimbo ye must not know the legend of that ship. Horrible things have happened to anyone unfortunate enough to lay eyes on it. I dunno if the lass has anything to do with this, but I hafta warn ye. Be careful Jimbo…"

"I'm not going to let anything happen to Maria. I promised I would get her memories back, and I'm going to do everything I can to keep that promise."

"I wasn't talking about Maria. I was about talking about ye Jimbo. I know ye wouldn't let anything happen to the lass. I may be an ol'man, but I still recognize love when I see it."

Jim wanted to question Silver more, but Maria was on her way back with a star ice cream cone. This planet or at least the ice cream stand found away to defy gravity because there were five different flavors on each point even the bottom one. Maria didn't seem bothered by it, and Jim wasn't going to break her good mood.

"I best be on my way. Me and Cap'n Amelia on the same planet is unnerving even ta me…There's a bar near the outskirts of the port. Meet me there tonight if ye two are interested." Silver commented as he stroked Morph before leaving.

"Jim! Can we go please?" Maria begged taking Silver's abandoned seat.

"Please! Please!" Morph repeated.

"Ok. Ok. We'll go." Jim answered.

Maria laughed and hugged Jim tightly around his neck and Morph licked his cheek. He knew he couldn't tell them no even if he wanted to. Morph was Silver's closest friend and it would have been cruel to keep them apart after so long. As for Maria, maybe love was the reason he couldn't tell her no. Her hug was pretty nice…

Next time: Silver and Jim's meeting, a hover-board race, and Maria's decision.


	7. Chapter 7: Midnight Race

Chapter Seven

"You don't look like a first mate anymore…" Maria commented as she sat on Jim's hammock.

"Yeah well, I have a feeling this bar wouldn't be very welcoming to first mates." Jim explained as he checked his reflection in the mirror.

He was wearing a dark green shirt with black pants and black boots. He glanced at Maria who nodded in approval before grabbing his black civilian jacket. It felt good to be out of uniform and a normal person again. He even considered getting Trest's solar board and increasing the engine power on his own to take Maria surfing.

"I almost forgot! You can't leave without your hat!" Maria exclaimed as she began searching Jim's room for the jester's hat.

Jim scratched the solar board idea when the hideous hat was placed on his head. There was no way he was going to sacrifice his dignity by going into a bar with the hat on. He tossed it at Maria who caught it with surprise in her eyes.

"I'm. Not. Wearing. That. Hat." Jim stated making sure every word was emphasized.

"Why not?" Maria asked as spun the hat on her finger.

"It's ugly and whoever designed it should find another profession." Jim replied, but instantly regretted his words.

Maria seemed to study the hat before tossing it into the waste basket. Without another word, she left Jim's room. Jim ran a hand through his hair and sighed. He thought Maria brought the hat as a joke, but obviously she liked it. He stared at the hat in the basket before he picked it up. He jammed it over his head and made sure it was low enough that his face couldn't clearly be seen. He grabbed his gun, and accidentally slammed the door shut in annoyance, but Maria didn't flinch. She merely watched as the first stars appeared in the sky.

"Are you happy now?" He asked, but Maria didn't respond.

Instead she rubbed a hand across her eyes and walked to the exit ramp. Jim followed closely behind, but eventually gave up trying to make small talk with her who only nodded or shook her head in response to everything he said. He couldn't understand why she was still upset over the hat even though he agreed to wear it. This was even worse than losing her ship. At least then he knew why she was upset at him. He opened the door to the bar for her and instantly grabbed her arm when he saw the conditions of the place.

He expected the place to be shady, but not nearly to the extent that it was. A cloud of smoke hung over the crowd, and there were drinks everywhere. The men were dirty, and most reeked of alcohol. Jim was tempted to leave right then, but Morph popped from his pocket obviously searching for Silver. Before Jim could grab him, Morph was zooming through the place, causing a scene, as he interrupted several conversations and knocked over drinks.

"Jim, I don't think I like this place…" Maria whispered as all eyes seemed to be on them.

Jim only nodded as he led Maria to the bar and helped her onto a stool before claiming one for him as well. The bartender slammed down a glass in front of them, and Maria wrinkled her nose in disgust. Jim thought it was a cute gesture, but under the current circumstances, he couldn't blame her. Jim knew the glasses were supposed to be white, since some parts were, but the majority of the glasses somehow had changed to a dark gray.

"What'll it be?" The bartender asked tilting his head back to show off their selection of drinks.

"Nothing. I'm looking for a cyborg. Have you seen any?" Jim asked.

"Sorry buddy. No drinks, no info. Besides we have a strick no funny hat policy." The bartender replied turning to assist another costumer.

"Come on Maria. We must have the wrong place. Morph we're leaving!" Jim called, ignoring the hat comment, but Morph was no where in sight.

"That little pink thing was yours? Some group just left with it. You might be able to catch them if you hurry." The bartender suggested, but the last part of the statement was wasted.

Jim and Maria were already out the door. There was no one around, and Jim kicked the nearest object he could find which happened to be a metal trashcan. A shooting pain went through Jim's foot, but before he could lose his balance, Maria had him by the waist. She helped him over to a nearby bench, and ran back into the bar. While she was gone, Jim eased off his boot to see the damaged he had caused. His foot was already beginning to swell, and he knew looking for Morph would be hard in this condition. Maria returned a few minutes later with a bag of ice that she held gently against his foot.

"Morph! Morph! Say something if you can hear me Morph!" Maria called out, but there was no response.

"Great. Now I lost Morph." Jim muttered, burying his face in his hands.

He was not crying, but he was sure his voice gave away how angry he was. The day was going so well, but like always he managed to ruin it. He sat like that for a few minutes until he felt a hand pressed against his cheek. He peeked through his hands, and Maria was smiling up to him. Jim found it amazing that a simple smile from her made everything seem less hopeless.

"Don't worry Jim. We'll find Morph somehow." She stated calmly.

"Easy for you to say. Silver trusted me with Morph, and looked what happened." Jim responded, but Maria motioned for him to be quiet.

He could faintly hear people laughing, and nodded to Maria in understanding. He quickly replaced his boot even though it hurt like mad, and limped towards the noise. The voices were coming from behind the bar. Jim glanced carefully around the corner of and saw five teenagers gathered around something.

"Morph is that you?" Jim called cautiously.

"Me, me!" Morph replied as he flew above the heads of the teens.

Before Morph could reach his owners, one of the teens grabbed him and took off along with the rest. Jim could have kicked himself for his stupidity, but decided that could wait since Maria was already following. The pain in his foot was forgotten as he did his best to keep up.

"Maria, move." Jim shouted as he pulled out his weapon.

He had no intention of harming any of the teens, but the accuracy of his shot stopped them dead in their tracks. A hole was in the exact center of one of their hats. Without a word, they released Morph who flew into Jim's outstretched hand. As Jim approached, they stood fearfully still, and Maria couldn't help but pity them.

"Now give me one reason why I shouldn't turn you over to the authorities for theft."

"Please sir, my dad would kill me if he finds out what I've been up to…" The one that grabbed Morph pleaded.

"Not good enough." Jim replied.

"What if we…beat you in a challenge? Do you solar surf?" Hat teen asked hesitantly.

Jim considered their offer, but the pain in his foot was slowly returning. He wasn't sure if he could keep his footing on a solar board in his condition long enough for a race, but Maria made up his mind for him.

"I do. If you win, we'll forget this happened. If I win, we tell." Maria responded quickly.

"Maria you can't be serious! You're still a rookie!" Jim retorted, but Maria was already running back for her solar board.

"Keep an eye on them!" Maria replied as she disappeared from sight.

Jim couldn't believe she was actually going through with this. Solar surfing was one thing, but a race was completely different. With solar surfing, she could go her own speed, but in racing the point was to win. It took her maybe ten minutes to return in which none of the teens had moved an inch for fear of being shot. Jim felt sort of bad for the boys one of which reminded him of himself.

He stood apart from the rest of the boys, and he showed no fear. In fact, he looked bored. The boy must have felt Jim's eyes on him, since he gave Jim a glare that Maria would have been proud of. When the boy caught sight of Maria, he reached behind his back and pulled something from his pack.

It was the new compact solar board. With a few simple clicks, the solar board would stretch to full length--about six feet--and the engine was built into the board instead of the bulky engine Jim's used. Jim made a mental note to get one of his own, but the starting of two engines put that concern to rest.

"We race to that tree." The boy ordered more than asked.

Maria and Jim both nodded, but Jim had a bad feeling about the situation. He wasn't comfortable with Maria going so far from him, but if he said anything, she would probably remember their most recent disagreement and hate him. He nudged Morph in Maria's direction, and Morph flew into her pocket.

"Old man, there's a pair of binoculars in my bag. Get them so there won't be any questions when I win." The boy continued as if reading Jim's mind.

Jim frowned, but retrieved the binoculars as the hat teen started the count down. There was something in the back of his mind he was forgetting, but brushed it off. His only concern was Maria's safety.

"3,2…1!" He shouted and instantly they were off.

Maria was slightly behind, but that was her intent. What she thought was a straight path turned into a series of difficult twists and turns. The tree was actually the tallest tree in a small forest. She had missed this fact because the ground dipped sharply, and the tree was so tall, that it gave the illusion of being on level ground. If they stayed above the tree tops, they would bring attention to themselves, but by traveling through the forest they would remain unseen.

Jim cursed under his breath when Maria dropped from his view, and ran to the forest just before the dip. He scanned the area and let go of the breath he wasn't even aware he was holding when he spotted Maria. She still wasn't leaning into the turns enough which would have given her more speed, but she was still doing well.

The tree was just ahead, but the rest of the trees formed a wall of sorts with an opening large enough for one person. They were neck and neck now, and out of the corner of her eye, Maria could see frustration on his face. Whoever pulled away first would lose. She took one final look at his face, before pulling sharply up. She tried to keep her grip on the board, but fell crashing to the ground as the board continued to rise. Tears came to her eyes as pain raced through her back and head.

"Hey lady! Are you ok? Come on, don't black out."

"Jim mentioned how disappointed his mother was when he came home with the police. I don't think your mother would enjoy it very much either." Maria muttered as darkness clouded her eyes.

Will she be ok? What about the boy? And where's Silver? And did the author forget about the decision Maria has to make? Except for the last question, all of these questions will be answered as soon as I figure out the answers myself…One last question: could Maria have made if over the board was at full capacity?


	8. Chapter 8: Stay With You Always

Disclaimer. I don't own Treasure Planet. If anyone can tell me where Jim is from originally, I would greatly appreciate it. If I get it wrong, I will correct it next time.

Jim was trained to act in emergencies, but when he saw Maria hit the ground, his feet wouldn't move. He could only watch in the binoculars at her still form. Morph popped from her pocket, and licked her face, but she didn't move.

"Jimbo! There ye are! The 'keep told me he saw someone that might have been you take out of the bar like yer pants were on fire, and head this way. What's that yer looking at?" Silver asked struggling up the hill.

When Jim didn't hand the binoculars over, or even acknowledge Silver's presence, Silver took them. He scanned over the forest and quickly saw the problem. He took Jim by the shoulder and dragged him over the drop followed by the teens. As soon as Jim hit the bottom, he broke into a dead run through the forest. He didn't care if the stray branches scratched him. All he cared about was reaching Maria.

The boy was standing over Maria talking to her, but not touching her. He looked up when Jim reached them and stepped aside as Jim fell to the ground beside her. Jim could see she was still breathing, but there was blood in her hair.

"Jimbo! Move!" Silver shouted.

Jim didn't hesitate this time. He had Maria in his arms and rolled to the side just as his solar board, or what was left it, fell to the ground. He stared in shock at the board, and finally realized how close he had come to losing her. If Silver hadn't forced him to move…

"Jimbo, she needs help." Silver muttered softly, breaking Jim from his thoughts.

"Thank her for me…I'll stay out of trouble…" The boy muttered.

Jim only nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He cradled Maria against him as if she was a fragile doll on the verge of breaking as he followed Silver to the hospital. When they reached the door, Silver paused, but the look in Jim's eyes forced him through.

He looked even more depressed than when Mr. Arrow died which scared Silver. Jim finally found someone who would make his light shine, and he could lose her in more ways than one.

The hospital staff took one look at Maria and rushed her into the emergency room. Jim tried to go through, but when he was stopped, he slumped into the nearest chair. He was trying hard not to cry, but his eyes were red. Silver placed one hand on Jim's shoulder in comfort, and Morph licked his cheek.

"You won't get in trouble for being here?" Jim muttered looking up to Silver.

"Ye know I would do anything for ye, my boy…Would ye like to know the story of the Marionette?" Silver asked softly.

Jim shrugged slightly, but did not protest. Silver planned to tell the legend anyway, but he did wish circumstances were different.

"The Marionette departed from Montesserou, but no one knew where it was going. The captain was a crazed man, who always thought someone was out to get him. His wife though, was said to be a pretty lass who would follow her husband to the end of the universe which is what she did."

"Everything went fine the first leg of the journey, but then the ship disappeared off all radars. A rescue crew was sent to aid them, but when they reached the ship, it was completely wrecked. The rescue attempted to bring the ship back, but the rescue ship disappeared completely. The same fate fell to all the ships sent to investigate the area until finally the Marionette disappeared."

"People have sworn they've seen it, but the ship was never spotted in the same place twice. Eventually everyone gave up, and that's why this legend is known only by a few…How Maria went so long on that ship with no one noticing, I don't know. I'm afraid that now that she's with ye, ye'll suffer the same fate…" Silver finished.

Jim listened intently to the story, and couldn't stop his anger from surfacing. He jumped up and began pacing the waiting room completely forgetting there were others in the room.

"Maria had nothing to do with those accidents! That Morwicky was the cause and now that it has her ship, everything is going to be fine. We're going to travel the stars, with our own ship, and everything is going to be perfect!" Jim shouted, not caring that all eyes were on him.

Silver tried to interrupt Jim to calm him down, but Jim wasn't paying him any attention.

"Maria needs me. I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. Not because I feel sorry for her, but because I…I love her." Jim finished slumping back into his seat.

"Aye Jimbo, I know." Silver muttered as he watched Jim cautiously.

"I want to protect her…Everyday I worry that something will happen, and I'll lose her like my father. Or worse, I'll abandon her, or she'll abandon me. What if she gets her memories back and decides to go? What am I supposed to do Silver?" Jim whispered sadly.

"Excuse me sir. Your friend is in room 103. She's awake, but she's tired. We had to give her stitches, but we won't keep her over night." A nurse commented reading from a clipboard.

Jim nodded and followed the nurse. He glanced over his shoulder to Silver in a wordless request to come, but Silver shook his head. He knew Jim needed to be alone to sort through his feelings.

Maria was sitting up in bed and smiled brightly when Jim entered the room. Jim returned the smile, and sat in the chair beside her bed.

"How you feeling?" He asked and instantly felt silly.

"Other than the splitting headache, I feel fine. What about the boy?" Maria asked.

Jim was amazed how she was the one in the hospital, but still worried about a complete stranger. He only took her hand, and ignored the surprise in her eyes.

"He wanted me to thank you and mention how he would stay out of trouble." Jim replied.

"That's good. What about you?"

"I'm fine. I'm just glad you're ok. I guess our solar board lessons are over. Too bad since you never got a chance to ride at full spee.." Jim started but something dawned on him.

Maria's board was not running at full power. She could have made the climb if he hadn't been so selfish…

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry." Jim muttered unable to look her in the eye.

"Don't worry. I should have just pulled to the side instead of up. Don't start blaming yourself Jim. Besides, you're still wearing the hat. I thought you would have gotten rid of it by now. I just wanted to give you something for once, and I thought you might have liked it. I guess I was wrong." Maria commented trying to cheer him up.

Maria was doing a horrible job of comforting him. Jim was feeling worse and worse. On top of almost killing her, he had hurt her feelings by turning down her thanks. He wouldn't make the same mistakes again.

"Listen Maria. I won't let anything like this ever happen again. There's no way I could stay on this voyage without you. I guess I'm trying to say that"

Jim was interrupted by Morph popping up and exploding into fireworks. Maria laughed delightedly, and Jim couldn't help but join in.

"I'm staying on the ship. I want to become a crew member. I want to stay with you no matter what!" Maria commented happily.

Jim nodded and squeezed her hand lightly. He wanted to tell her he loved her, but she knew. That didn't mean he wouldn't tell her though. On the way back from the Terra Star when they wouldn't be so busy seemed like a good time. Besides there was no way he would be able to do his duties and be with her at the same time.

So Jim loves her…Next time, the crew finally makes it to the Terra Star, and the return of an old (and only) nemesis. Could Maria have joined the crew, only to be taken away? Silver's not done yet! Maybe not the next chapter, but soon...


	9. Chapter 9: Goodbye?

I had no idea my story would actually become popular! Thanks for the reviews everyone. They're really encouraging. I think I'll let the minor characters shine a bit this time. Disclaimer: I don't own Treasure Planet. Just Maria!

Jim was sure every ship that could still fly was at the Terra Star. Everywhere he looked, there were ships setting up for the formation. It would be hard to find a decent spot to watch that was far enough away to keep from burning the ship and ruining everyone's eyes. Captain Amelia pointed up to Botter in a sign to look for an empty spot higher up. Once she was satisfied, she nodded to Jim.

"Release the sails Mr. Hawkins!" Captain Amelia ordered.

"Release the sails!" Jim shouted and all hands were instantly on deck including Maria.

Jim smiled as he watched her help Tress lower one of the sails. Jim always made sure to pair her up with one of the stronger crew members since he was still concerned about her head injury, but so far everything seemed fine with her. He did notice that she no longer climbed the riggings, but he guessed she just developed a fear of heights because of the fall. He hoped she would overcome the fear, but he was not going to pressure her. Jim's thoughts were interrupted when he heard a crash coming from the captain's quarters. Dr. Doppler was struggling to lug out all his equipment, and Jim quickly relieved him of his load.

"Thank you. Jim. Even incomplete, the Terra Star is amazing. Absolutely amazing." Dr. Doppler commented as he quickly set up several telescopes and cameras.

"It sure is. It almost makes me want to be a tourist and just watch…" Jim replied as he helped the doctor.

"With Maria I'm sure. Judging by our distance away, the look out post should have the best view. I'm sure two people can fit comfortable up there." The doctor suggested with a smile.

"Can I show you something Doctor?" Jim asked through his laughter.

When Dr. Doppler nodded, Jim pulled a black box from his pocket. He opened it and inside was a gold locket and a ring. He made sure Maria was still busy before he opened the locket. It played a faint bell melody and on the inside was a picture Trest took during Jim and Maria's first star lesson. Jim had his arm around her shoulder, and their smiles could clearly be seen. Trest had given Jim the picture and told him to use it well, and this was the best use Jim could think of. The doctor smiled, but Jim knew the question that was coming.

"I picked it up before we left while she was asleep. I'm going to give her the locket tonight while everyone's watching the star, but I don't know about the ring yet. I was thinking when we returned home?" Jim asked cautiously.

"I see you have everything planned out Jim. I'm sure she'll say yes, that is if she knows what marriage is. I'm sure you'll explain it to her." Dr. Doppler replied.

Jim wanted to continue the conversation, but shouting caught his attention. Maria was hanging from the rigging and every so often slid down. Trest was trying to reach out to her and grab her hand, but each time Maria slid farther down. Jim was almost to them when Maria fell completely. Jim dived and barely managed to catch her. He held her tightly as she clung tightly to him. She was breathing too quickly, but Jim stroked her back calmly.

"It's ok. It's ok. I've got you." He whispered as he glared daggers over her shoulders at the rest of the crew.

He stood up and put Maria down on her feet. She did not look her hurt, but that was beside the point. Jim wanted answers, and he wanted them fast.

"What happened? Trest you were supposed to be helping her!" Jim shouted angrily as Trest approached the ground.

"Something went wrong. One of the connected riggings snapped and sent the rest up. I tried holding on, I even have the rope burns to prove it, but Maria had the rope tied around her hand to get a better grip and went up with the rigging. Once she untied the rope, her grip gave in." Trest explained.

"That rigging didn't snap. Botter cut it." Johnson replied dragging Botter to Jim.

A chorus of "what" and "why" echoed through the crew, and Jim subconsciously pulled Maria closer when Johnson dropped pushed Botter to the ground at Jim's feet. Captain Amelia pushed her way through the crowd having heard the commotion, and judging by the look on her face, heads were going to roll.

"Cut the riggings did he? Were you trying to sabotage this ship? Choose your words carefully because you already face mutiny charges, and I'll keep raising the stakes." Captain Amelia shouted furiously.

"No captain. I wasn't going to do no harm to the ship. Just that wretched girl. She'll be the death of everyone on this ship. Best to get rid of her now." Botter replied calmly.

Jim wasn't sure what snapped in his mind. All he wanted was to get his hands, feet, anything on Botter which is exactly what he did. He had Botter pinned to the ground and was attacking every inch of him that he could reach. Captain Amelia ordered the crew to separate the two, but no one moved. Captain Amelia didn't want to stun Jim, but that seemed to be the only way to keep him from killing Botter.

"Jim stop." Maria muttered as she grab Jim's arm before he could strike again.

"Let go Maria…" Jim muttered, but Maria shook her head.

"Please let him go Jim." Maria continued.

Jim stared down at Botter with hate in his eyes, but allowed Maria to pull him away. Captain Amelia ordered Abe, who was the strongest, to take Botter down to a holding cell and for everyone else to return to their duties. Maria released Jim's arm and was about to return to her job, but was stopped the captain.

"Mr. Hawkins that was completely unacceptable behavior you exhibited, but understandable. Take Maria and find someplace to calm down." Captain Amelia ordered gently, and Maria nodded.

Maria pulled him down into the galley where Johnson only sighed and began brewing tea. Jim was staring off into the distance as Maria stroked his hand gently. Johnson sat the tea down in front of them and took a seat.

"What did I do? Does he really think I'm dangerous?" Maria asked quietly.

"He's an idiot. A cowardly idiot who should thank the stars you weren't hurt. He better pray that the courts sentence him to the gallows or I'll"

"You'll do nothing. You won't stoop to his level Jim. You really think Maria wants to see you hanging by a rope?" Johnson interrupted.

Maria pushed the tea to Jim encouragingly and Jim downed the hot liquid in one swig. It burned his tongue and throat, but he didn't care. The rest of his body was on fire anyway.

"It's starting." Trest called down and Maria tugged on Jim's sleeve slightly.

Jim didn't say a word, but stormed from the room. Maria's shoulders slumped and she looked to Johnson for guidance.

"Give him time. Everything will be fine." He commented as he led Maria from the galley.

Maria ran to catch up to Jim who was pacing back and forth and had an idea. She hugged him around his waist and smiled up to him. He stopped walking and glanced down at her curiously. He was not in the mood for her at the moment.

"Dance with me." She commented.

"Huh? You know how to dance?" Jim commented taken by surprise.

"No, but you can teach me." Maria replied simply.

"With all these people watching?" Jim asked glancing around.

"Who cares about them? I'm use to having all eyes on me now. I mean I just fell from a rigging." Maria replied laughing.

Jim smiled slightly and took her hands and began to sway. He always wondered why ballroom dancing was taught at the academy, and he finally understood. A captain had to be charming as well as cunning especially with a clumsy girl like Maria. She constantly stepped on his toes and changed tempos constantly even with Jim leading. He shook his head slightly and spun her around so her back was against him. He pulled the locket from his pocket, and clasped it around her neck. Maria stroked it lightly as Jim rested his head on her shoulder.

"Like it? I didn't plan to give it to you like this, but I suppose this works." Jim commented.

"It's beautiful…" Maria commented, but suddenly her body tensed.

She began shaking violently and Jim gently eased her to the ground. She wrapped her arms around herself and pushed Jim away.

"It's coming back…" She muttered quietly over and over again.

The sky suddenly brightened and Jim shielded his eyes to block out the brilliance of the star. He tried to call the captain, but he couldn't be heard over the crowd. He peaked through his fingers and saw the black dot approaching.

"Captain! We have to move! Move the ship!" Jim shouted, but his cries fell on deaf ears.

He ran to the wheel and tried to turn the ship, but it was too late. The Morwicky was upon them and headed straight to Maria. Jim tried to run to her, but a pain in his leg sent him to the ground. Botter had shot him. By now the rest of the crew and on lookers had spotted the monster, but there was nothing anyone could do.

"Mr. Abe ready the guns!" Captain Amelia ordered but Abe was no where to be found.

Jim crawled toward Maria who was now sobbing, but Botter stepped in front of him. He positioned the gun directly in front of Jim's head, but never had the chance to pull the trigger. Trest shot Botter in the stomach before taking aim at the Morwicky. Even with the combined firepower from the other ships, the Morwicky could not be stopped.

"Maria!" Jim shouted as the Morwicky opened its jaws.

Maria stood up and wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled to Jim. Jim knew exactly what she was thinking, and he did not like it. If sacrificing her life meant saving everyone else, she would do it.

"Goodbye…" She mouthed as the Morwicky's jaws closed around her.

"MARIA!" Jim shouted as the Morwicky left as if nothing had happened.

This can't be good. Maria can't be gone can she? I won't say what happens next since the story's about to get a lot deeper…Until next time.


	10. Chapter 10: Still Alive

I don't own Treasure Planet. Just Maria!

Jim tried to stand, but he slumped miserably back to the ground. He pounded the ground with his fists, but this time he couldn't stop the tears that mixed with the blood from his leg. He could have saved her somehow if Botter hadn't gotten in the way. Botter!

Botter was still alive. Jim could see him breathing, but if he had his way, Botter was going to wish Trest had aimed to kill. Jim tried to reach the gun that had fell from Botter's hand, but Johnson stopped him by stepping on his hand.

"It won't do any good now son. Killing him won't bring her back…" Johnson replied as he moved Jim onto his back.

"Stop talking like it's too late! Captain, we have to go after her!" Jim shouted as Trest applied pressure to his leg.

"Mr. Hawkins, there's nothing we can do. You saw exactly what we saw…" Captain Amelia replied gently.

"Then I'll go myself. Just take me to one of the boats, and I'll hunt that worm down myself!" Jim shouted as he shoved Trest away and tried to stand.

"And how would that help the situation! Johnson, take Botter down to the holding cell again, and toss Abe in there with him. I'm sure he had something to do with this." Captain Amelia ordered as she started to her office.

"If it was Dr. Doppler, you would go after him!" Jim shouted and instantly knew he hit a nerve.

The captain stopped dead in her tracks. She faced Jim again, but this time she looked just as sad as when Mr. Arrow died. He was right, but she couldn't falter. Not this time.

"Do you really think revenge is the answer? Even if we found that monster, what will we do? You saw that nothing can stop it." She asked, and Jim had no answer.

"Maybe not…" Dr. Doppler replied as he dashed into the captain's quarters and returned with a book.

All eyes were on him as he skimmed through the pages. He muttered under his breath as he used his thumb as a guide.

"Aha! Here it is. Weapon wise, I can't help, but anatomy I know. The Morwicky is believed to have a double stomach. One stomach is used for digesting food of course, but the second stomach acts as a pouch. It stores food for later. If Maria wound up in the second stomach, then maybe…"

"She's alive! I know she is! Captain…" Jim pleaded.

"Jim, you'll understand my decision someday, but I can't force the crew to take this mission. If the doctor was taken, I would do everything in my power to get him back. I wouldn't endanger the lives of others though. Request denied." Captain Amelia explained, but Jim wasn't listening.

Trest helped Jim to his feet and led him to Jim's room to bandage his leg. He made sure the door was closed before he tossed Jim against the wall and held him there. Jim refused to meet his eyes, but Trest didn't care.

"Are you out of your mind? Of course the captain wouldn't go off the course so drastically." Trest nearly hissed.

"I don't care. I'm going after her. I would know if Maria was…dead, and she's not." Jim retorted, but Trest only laughed.

"I know we're going after her, but we can't cause a scene. I'm one of the best navigators in the universe. If any one can find her, I can. All we need is a ship, but the less people the better." Trest commented quietly.

Jim could not believe he was so blind. Trest was absolutely right. He knew exactly where to find a ship. Trest was almost done bandaging Jim's leg when B.E.N. rushed in still crying loudly. Morph heard the commotion and popped from Jim's pocket and changed into a pair of giant crying eyes. Jim motioned for B.E.N. to come over and covered B.E.N.'s mouth with his hand.

"Don't talk. Listen…Go back to Blossom Space Port and find Silver. Don't tell him what happened. Just tell him I need his help. Understand?" Jim asked.

B.E.N. opened his mouth to speak, but zipped it shut. Jim nodded in approval and pulled B.E.N. even closer.

"You can't be seen by anyone. Don't mess this up B.E.N. please. I'm counting on you."

B.E.N. nodded once again and surprisingly left the room quietly. Jim caught Trest's eye and smirked. It was obvious Trest was confused, but he would understand soon.

Let's check in on Maria

Maria shielded her eyes as sunlight broke through the darkness after what seemed like forever. She fell to the ground with a thud and tried to suck in all the fresh air she could. She was covered in green ooze that smelled as awful as it looked and tried to rub it from her face to breathe more freely, but only manage to make a bigger mess. Despite her hair being matted to her head, she could feel air hot air against her neck that was not the wind. She turned around sharply and was face to face with her kidnapper. She didn't even think about what to do next.

She scrambled to her feet and ran, but the Morwicky was faster. It wrapped itself around her and squeezed tightly. She screamed although she knew no one would hear as the air was pushed from her lungs. She was sure this time the Morwicky meant to kill her, but once again she was dropped to the ground. She backed away from its jaws, but the rest of its body formed a wall around her.

"I get it…I won't run…" She muttered hoping the monster understood.

She wasn't quite sure if it understood or not, but the Morwicky lifted itself off the ground slightly. She kept her promise and didn't run, but even if she had there was no where to go. She was surrounded by no less than twenty men holding spears pointed directly at her. One approached her slowly until his spear blade touched her throat. She tried to back away, but another poked her in her back. She had no choice but to remain still as she was examined.

"She's one of us…" The examiner muttered.

The others glanced around with similar shocked expressions until the Morwicky opened its jaws. The one behind her poked her once again and muttered "move" in her ear which she obeyed.

"It doesn't matter what she is. That makes no difference in that thing's eyes. If it had eyes…She's of no use to us." He continued.

"Perhaps…Please tell us your name." The examiner asked.

"Maria." She answered quietly.

Their procession stopped suddenly, and Maria almost ran into her examiners back. He turned around and grabbed her chin and stared into her eyes. Maria could feel him searching for something, and she desperately wished he could find it.

"It's her…It really is her…Captain Nett's daughter!"

"Quiet fool! If it is her, and the monster hears you, she's dead. We have to continue on like we know nothing."

Maria did not say anything, but she was taking in everything. She was going to find out exactly who Captain Nett was, and what made him, her, so special. Until then, she had to figure out a plan. They were now walking along a road with fields on each side. Women and older men were on each side farming the land, but the children were all watching her. She knew them, knew the place. She knew she had been here before. She wasn't aware that she had stopped moving until someone poked her in the back once again.

They walked until they reached a slightly raised platform of what looked like gold. They shoved Maria on top, and she stumbled but didn't hit the ground until it began shaking. In a second, bars of the same material rose around her, trapping her in side. The entire thing began to lower into the ground, but instead of being met with dirt, she was lowered into a larger room. There were skeletons and rats scurrying around, and the room reminded her of the holding cells of the Arrow's Legacy. Just less sanitary. Other than the rodents, she was the only living thing in there. There were no doors, just a small barred window too high for her to reach. The bars lowered once again, and the ceiling closed as if nothing had happened.

She pulled her knees to her chest and tried hard not to cry. This couldn't be the place she was from. She belonged on the rat free Arrow's Legacy with Johnson, Trest, and everyone else. She lightly stroked her locket, but instead of feeling sadness, she was angry. Even if she did not remember exactly what happened to her ship, she knew the Morwicky ruined her life before. More importantly, it was keeping her from Jim. She knew he was hurt, but there was no way to know whether he was safe or not.

"Jim, I'm not going to sit here and die like the others…I'll see you soon."

I have a few extra minutes today so guess what…A double update!


	11. Chapter 11: We'll Be Ok

I don't own Treasure Planet...

Jim and Trest waited until the ship was absolutely silent before they slipped, or hobbled in Jim's case, from the room. The sentry on duty was easy enough for them to get passed, but Jim hoped Silver was still as stealthy as he was years ago. They ducked into the lifeboat holding area, and Jim opened the latch. Just as he expected, Silver and B.E.N. were waiting in a small speed boat. It was built to hold no more than four people comfortably with supplies which was perfect. Trest was about to jump down when a hand landed roughly on his shoulders.

"Youngsters always jump into things head first. They never think of the old they leave behind." Johnson commented as he jumped down into the boat.

"You're not stopping me…" Jim replied, but Johnson laughed.

"Stop you? I'm coming with you. The captain asked me to guard this area in case you decided to take off. She also mentioned that if you decided to go, I shouldn't stop you. In fact she sends her luck…By the way, Botter seemed to have gotten his gun from Abe whose sporting two lumps on his head now…" Johnson explained.

Jim smirked down to Johnson as Morph popped from his pocket. He licked Jim's cheek before floating down to Silver. Both older men helped Jim into the boat as Trest jumped down and into the middle of a bear hug.

"Silver you old sea dog!"

"Johnson, aren't ye a sight for sore eyes!"

"Should've known Jim would know the notorious Captain Silver."

"Introductions have to wait Silver. Maria's trail is getting colder by the minute. Trest, let's go!" Jim ordered as Trest pushed past Silver.

"Hold on, now lad. What in the blue blazes-"

Silver fell back into his seat and held onto his hat as Trest took off at full speed. Jim explained the situation to Silver the best he could over B.E.N. and Morph's antics. He could see Silver's mechanical eye working, and every so often he would glance over to Trest. Trest had not slowed down the entire time they were riding, but occasionally he would pull closer to a meteor than anyone felt safe with.

"I understand yar going to save the lass, but how do ye know where she is?" Silver asked.

Trest laughed and winked at them over his shoulder.

"I'm the best. I can pick up the trail for anything. The way I figure, the Morwicky would have been in a hurry to get Maria back to wherever, and the fastest way anywhere is a straight line. I know we're on the right trail because the Morwicky is leaving its mark everywhere. See those rocks? They used to be one giant rock, but the Morwicky went straight through." Trest explained.

"Impressive…" Silver and Johnson muttered at the same time.

"How much longer?" Jim asked as he tried to pry himself from B.E.N.

"We're close…It's getting warmer so we're nearing a planet. If I remember correctly, nothing is supposed to be in this immediate area so it'll make the perfect hiding place."

Jim pushed B.E.N. away from his injured leg and shot him a glare that could freeze anything. B.E.N. gave a nervous smile and patted Jim on his leg once again before ducking behind Johnson. Jim would have given chase, but a planet had come into view.

From a distance, it was entirely green, but once they broke through the atmosphere, Jim could make out the finer details. It was covered in fields and mechanical windmills, some of which did not blow even with the wind blowing. What caught his attention the most was a tall tower off in the distance.

"I would look for a safe spot to land, but everywhere looks the same." Trest commented as he brought the boat to halt.

"Are you sure we're in the right spot? This place looks deserted." Johnson asked as he glanced around.

"Maria's here…I can feel it. Besides, there are crops here. Someone has to farm them." Jim replied as he stepped from the boat carefully.

Silver was about to step down as well, but Jim motioned for him to stay. B.E.N. had fallen face first into a pool of something green. It was some sort of slime that was sticky to the touch and formed a trail.

"Well, this is the best clue we have so far. I'm going to look around for a bit. Captain Amelia's right. There's no need for all of us to risk our lives. B.E.N. can come back here if we get into trouble." Jim continued as he pulled B.E.N. to his feet.

"Be back by the time the sun sets lad." Silver shouted to Jim's retreating back.

Jim and B.E.N. followed the trail in silence, or at least Jim did. B.E.N. struck up random conversations whenever he thought the silence became too much. After an hour or so, the trail ran out and they were facing a sandy patch.

"So now what buddy?" B.E.N. asked leaning on Jim.

"We try not to die…" Jim replied.

B.E.N. leaped into Jim's arms as around twenty people surrounded them leaving only one opening. Jim turned and ran onto the patch, but the ground crumbled beneath them. They landed with a thud in a dungeon like room as the hole above them resealed itself.

"I suppose now we have two sacrifices…" Jim heard someone mutter before the whole completely closed.

"Jim! I don't want to be a sacrifice." B.E.N. cried, but Jim pushed him off.

They were not alone. Standing in the center of the room, beneath the only light coming from a window, stood someone covered in dust and the same slime from before. She seemed completely unaware that she was not alone anymore. Even covered in filth, Jim would recognize her anywhere. He walked cautiously over and touched her back lightly. She turned around sharply, and the back of her hand connected with his face. Jim rubbed his cheek lightly and pulled her into his arms.

"Maria! I knew I would find you eventually…"

Maria hugged Jim tightly around his waist before pulling back. Jim reached out to her again, but she shook her head slightly. She was trying hard to avoid his eyes, and Jim laughed.

"Like I haven't seen you looking worse before. You may love sunrises, but you're not exactly cute in the mornings…" Jim muttered.

"Some hero you are! It took you forever to get here, and then you insult me!" She shouted, and Jim spun her around in the air despite his leg.

"I know. It took me almost two days to find you…You would think a monster would take you farther away…" Jim replied as he put her on the ground again.

She sighed, and rested her head against Jim's chest. Jim rested his head on top of hers, and held her tightly and couldn't resist a smile. She nuzzled her face into his chest before pulling away once more. Her face was cleaner, but now his shirt was ruined. She was smiling, and motioned for Jim to come to her.

"That'll teach you to take so long saving me." She whispered as she pointed up to the window.

"That's the only way out?" He asked quietly.

"I think so…I've searched this entire place, and it's the only way I've seen. Then again, I stayed away from the rats' home."

"If Botter hadn't ruined my leg, I could try and lift you up there. Then again, you might not be able to fit." Jim commented as he sat on the ground.

Maria thumped him lightly on his head before joining him on the ground. Jim watched her closely as she closed her eyes, and leaned against his shoulder. They were trapped in a dungeon, covered in slime, probably going to die, but at the same time, he felt as if everything was going to be ok. If nothing else, he would toss B.E.N. up to the window…

A double update and I still leave people with questions. The time it took for Jim to reach Maria will be explained next chapter for sure. I do have one question for my reviewers. Should there be a happy ending, a happy drama filled ending, or a sad ending? Please don't say sad…Like all good things, this story is coming to an end in the next few chapters.


	12. Chapter 12: Beyond the Grave

A sequel huh? I'll think about it. There's going to be an epilogue, and if everyone is still interested, I'll write a sequel. Don't own Treasure Planet.

"B.E.N. lift higher. I can almost reach it…" Maria called down.

Maria was standing on B.E.N's head and straining to reach the window's ledge while Jim held them steady. The ledge was at the tip of her finger tips, but she couldn't reach any farther. She took a deep breath and jumped from B.E.N. She caught the ledge with one hand but couldn't grab on with her other. She fell back on top of B.E.N. and Jim with a thud.

"Fifth time's the charm?" She asked, but Jim shook his head.

"This isn't working…You're too short." He explained as he slid from under the other two.

He stared up to the ceiling and searched for any clue as to how to open it. Judging by the skeletons in the area, anyone could come in, but no one could get out. He knew this was a dungeon, but something wasn't right. All of the skeletons, except one, were facing the window. The exception seemed to be crawling to the wall directly opposite of the window. Whoever it was died reaching out to something, and Jim knew whatever it was had to be important.

"Let's search that wall one more time." Jim muttered distractedly.

B.E.N. and Maria took his advice, but just like the previous times, they found nothing. Maria sighed as she sunk back against the wall and B.E.N. did the same. Jim knew exactly what was going on in their minds because he felt the same way. They--at least he and Maria--were tired and hungry, and the sun was setting. The first breeze blew through the dungeon through the window, and Maria shivered. Jim sat down between them and pulled them both into his jacket. It wasn't nearly big enough, but every little bit helped.

"At least we get to watch the sunset…" He muttered quietly trying to lift their spirits.

"The sunset…There's something important about it. I can almost remember watching it with someone." Maria commented rubbing her head.

She closed her eyes, and she could hear laughter. At first the laughter reminded her of the low rumble of thunder, but then gentle like bells. She tried to memorize the sound, but Jim shook her urgently. She opened her eyes and watched in amazement as the sun shone directly on her platform from before creating a hologram.

It showed a man in a white uniform with several medals and a woman wearing a yellow sundress complete with a floppy yellow hat. The woman was almost identical to Maria, but the man had her green eyes. The woman was smiling while the uniformed man merely pointed to a spot on the wall directly above Jim's head. All three looked up, and there was a faded handprint on the wall. Maria scrambled to her feet and started to the platform, but Jim pulled her back.

"We don't know when the hologram will disappear again so we have to figure this out quickly." He explained gently.

"It'll disappear when the sun is gone. My parents and I would watch the sunset! We would play a game…They would leave me a message, but I could only find it during the sunset…Jim, they're trying to tell us something!" Maria replied suddenly.

She placed her hand over the imprint, but pulled away sharply when something stabbed her hand. The imprint was now stained red with her blood and began to recede into the wall. The wall lowered into the ground, and opened into a tunnel. Jim and B.E.N. started to enter, but Maria only stared at the hologram. Jim tried to lead her away, but a voice stopped all three in their tracks.

"Maria, I made a horrible mistake. I'm leaving you this message for someday when you're older, you'll understand…" A man's voice echoed through the room.

"Please remember that we love you. We love you so much, and it hurts my soul to have to put you through this…" The woman continued.

"The Nett family controls almost every aspect of this planet. We affect its orbit, harvesting, and more importantly its weaponry. To be born into this family, leaves only one life to live. A life full of responsibility that I was not willing to take. I…ran away. Even though our family is forbidden from leaving this planet, when I was a young man, no older than you should be when you receive this message, I snuck off aboard a ship. I didn't know until I returned years later, that my departure was the ruin of this planet."

"I fell in love with space. I changed my name and traveled everywhere I could go until I met your mother. I fell in love with Marion the second I saw her. I was a fresh unknown captain, and she was from a very powerful family…Almost as powerful as mine." Captain Nett explained with pain evident in his voice.

"Once we had gotten to know each other, he asked me to run away and travel the stars with him, but I refused. Space always fascinated me, but I was to inherit my family's fortune. I couldn't run away from that responsibility, but that didn't stop me from marrying him. We were going to stay near my home which wasn't good enough…My family disowned me for I had broken my engagement, but I didn't care. I had no ties keeping me to my home, and I did leave with him." Marion continued.

"Those were the best years of my life. I kept my secret from her as long as I could, but I knew my past would catch up with me. It took my family twenty years to find me, but they did. The Morwicky had made its first appearance, and I was needed to protect the planet. Your mother was furious with me, and forced me to return. I think you were about seven years old."

"We stayed for maybe a year until we were sure everything was fine. The Morwicky only wanted a third of the people's harvest which no one minded. We left once again and continued our travels until we heard that…that…" Marion tried to continue, but she was now crying.

"The Morwicky would hunt down anyone who tried to leave the planet. It demanded more and more until our people began to starve. It ruined our land, and there was nothing I could do. I knew the beast would come for us shortly, and I used what little knowledge I had to make sure you survived. My parents were gone and I had no siblings. I wanted to die for I couldn't live with myself for what I had done, but you still had a chance. I forced you to wear a cloak that would mask your scent which is how the Morwicky found its victims. When it did come, we fought back, but we were no match on our own. I saw the mast fall on you, but I knew you would live. Even after being swallowed by the monster and brought down here by our people, I knew you would live."

"Maria, you are the only one left. The Nett family destiny rests in you. This room is not a dungeon, but a safety chamber. No one but a member of the Nett family can come and go freely. Your people have forgotten this, but not you. Whenever they suspect someone of being a member of the Nett family, they would put them in this room for when you are in this room, there is no need to fear the Morwicky. So many lives lost…" Marion muttered as she faded away.

"Never lose hope my child. Never let your people lose hope. Please correct my past mistakes. This planet has enough power to destroy the Morwicky, but only you can do it. You are the only one able to operate the key for our planet's last chance. Forgive this foolish old man, and never forget our love…" Captain Nett muttered as the sun disappeared along with the hologram.

Maria hugged Jim tightly as she cried against him. Her father died hating himself for something he never meant to happen while her mother died choosing to follow her heart. Even in death they were trying to accomplish what they couldn't in life.

"Jim…I have to stop it. They'll never rest in peace until the Morwicky is gone." She whispered into his chest.

"I know. We'll stop it somehow. You have my word. We just need more information especially about this key." Jim replied.

"Oh mama…We wanted adventure right buddy?" B.E.N. asked as he pulled the other to into a bone crushing hug.

"Yeah we did B.E.N., but if you break us, we won't get to finish it." Jim answered laughing.

Maria smiled through her tears, and took one final look in the room. Everything was still fuzzy in her mind, but piece by piece she was starting to remember. She still wasn't sure exactly where her mother was from, but this was her home. If her family had to protect this place, she would do everything she could. Even if that meant staying behind while Jim continued to follow his dream.


	13. Chapter 13: Revenge

I don't own Treasure Planet. Just Maria!

Writer's block is icky. I had it last chapter too, but here goes. Problem is, I have a lot of ideas, but I'm not happy with this story. I'll wrap it up in the next two or three chapters and see what happens from there…

"Any idea where this goes?" Jim asked even though he already knew the answer.

"I have no idea. I remember some things, but not anything that could be of help." She replied softly.

Jim wrapped his arm around her shoulder in comfort and shrugged. He knew the frustration and helplessness she was feeling. Just as she believed in him finding Morph, he believed in her.

"I found a door!" B.E.N. called from ahead.

Jim and Maria rushed to meet him at a large wooden door. Jim tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. Maria reached out to help, but she hesitated. She could feel something strange coming from behind the door.

"Jim, I don't like this…There's something wrong about this room." Maria commented.

"Don't worry. We'll be fine. Besides this is the only way out so far…I bet this room works like the other. You're the only one who can open this door." Jim replied, and Maria nodded.

She still did not want to, but she pulled on the door's handle. The door creaked opened slowly, and Jim had to grab Maria before she could run from the site. They were in a spacious cavern filled with some sort of eggs. Worm like creatures could clearly be seen floating inside.

"This is its den…This is the Morwicky's den. This is how it can tell our scents. We smell like these eggs!" Maria shouted close to hysterics.

"Maria, you have to stay calm. What are you talking about?" Jim whispered pulling her back into the tunnel.

"I'm not positive, but the eggs' odor must have covered the planet. While the odor is so faint that we can't tell, the Morwicky can probably smell these eggs from anywhere." Maria explained once she had calmed down.

"How do you know?" Jim asked curiously.

"Because it doesn't have eyes yet it always knows exactly where we are."

"So even if you take down the mommy, the children will still be here. Do you think your mom could make omelets out of these eggs?" B.E.N. asked.

"Not now B.E.N. I have an idea. Eventually, this tunnel must lead up to the surface. When we get out, B.E.N. find Silver and the others. Let them know we're ok but won't be back until the Morwicky is gone." Jim replied as he helped Maria close the door.

Just as Jim thought, the tunnel did have an end that was blocked by another door. Maria opened it carefully, and the cool night air rushed in. B.E.N. saluted clumsily and ran off to complete his tasks while Jim pulled Maria towards the tower.

"First, we have to find food. Then we head to that tower. I think it acts as some sort of look out post. If a key is hidden anywhere on this planet, it would be there." Jim explained.

"Shouldn't we be careful? I mean the villagers could still be hostile…" Maria commented softly.

"I doubt anyone's awake right now. Maria, look at me." Jim ordered as he stopped walking and grabbed her hands.

He smiled down at her and kissed her gently. He could feel time stop and all rational thinking leave him. All that mattered was Maria was with him again, and he wasn't going to let her go ever again.

"I'll protect you for the rest of my life. You have my word…" He muttered as he pulled away.

"What if I have to stay? You heard what my father said. The Nett family is forbidden from leaving. I can't abandon this planet. I have to" Maria started but was silenced by Jim placing a finger against her lips.

"Then I'm staying with you. Traveling the stars has always been my dream, but now all I want to do is be with you." Jim replied, but the later part of the sentence was barely above a whisper.

The Morwicky was coming straight at them. Jim completely forgot about his wound as he and Maria took off in a dead run. She was slightly ahead of him, but he shoved her to the ground. The Morwicky barely missed them as it circled back around. There was no way they could escape. All Jim could do was pull Maria behind him and brace himself for an attack that never came for they were lifted into the air by two pairs of rough hands.

"Need a hand?" Johnson asked patting Jim on his back.

"Only if those hands can get us to that tower and distract that monster long enough for us to stop it!" Jim replied as he held Maria tightly.

"If that's all you need, then get ready to jump." Trest responded as he dipped suddenly to the ground.

Silver and Johnson both fired at the monster although they knew it would do nothing more than anger it which is exactly what they wanted. The Morwicky opened it jaws and charged at the ship just as Maria and Jim jumped. When they left the ship, Trest pulled sharply up causing the Morwicky to ram into the tower. Surprising the tower did not budge from the force.

The Morwicky howled and chased after the small ship as it circled around the tower. Maria silently wished them good luck as she pressed her hand against the tower. A hidden door slid open, and they quickly slipped inside.

The tower was completely empty except for a small pedestal in the center of the room. Maria nodded slightly at Jim as she approached it carefully. Just like the wall from the safety chamber, there was a faded handprint. Maria covered it with her own hand, and like before she was stabbed, but this time she couldn't pull away. Her blood flowed down into tubes that ran up the walls and through the floor.

"The tower is coming alive…" She muttered dizzy from the blood loss.

Jim caught her as the pedestal released her, and the tower began to move. The wall the pedestal faced disappeared and was replaced by a giant target. The other two walls remained but the middle of each faded away to show their surroundings.

"What's going on?" Jim asked Maria softly.

"The tower is searching for its key. This is the lost technology of our planet. A living weapon that comes alive with the blood of royals. This tower is the heart of the weapon that my blood is pumping into while my ship is the brain. While the brain can function on it's on, the heart cannot. Because the ship was gone, the tower shut down. That's the legend of this planet…Someone whose face I've forgotten long ago told me." Maria responded tiredly.

"Maria that doesn't make any sense! Your ship isn't from this planet!" Jim shouted trying to keep her awake.

"It was built using this planet's technology. This was one of my father's last efforts to try and correct his mistakes. He connected his ship to the tower with the hope I would return one day. This tower is one of the strongest cannons in the galaxy. If it can't stop that monster, nothing can." Maria explained as she closed her eyes.

Jim shook her until she reopened her eyes, and the tower stopped. Maria weakly pointed at the target.

"It found my ship. Because this tower is connected to me, it knows exactly what I want. Its target it the Morwicky and its eggs. My ship is following this tower's every move like there's a line keeping them together. Once the tower locks onto the Morwicky, both will fire. After that, we must escape, or we'll die. The tower will descend into the ground and dispose of the eggs." Maria finished.

They watched as the ship continued to flee from the Morwicky. A faint light flashed in the distance at the same time the laser shot from the tower's target. Trest must have seen the target for he flew directly into the laser and like before pulled away at the last second. The laser went directly through the Morwicky's open mouth while the ship's attack entered through its tail. Jim stared in awe at the site, but Maria brought him back to his senses.

"Jim, do you want to die with the eggs?" Maria asked sarcastically as Jim carried her back the way they came.

The door opened without Maria's touch this time as he dashed out just as the tower began to descend. The Morwicky gave one final screech before it burst from the inside. Jim shielded Maria from the remains that fell from the sky before they stared in disbelief at each other. What started as a relieved chuckle evolved into full fledge laughter as Jim spun Maria around in his arms.

"You did it buddy! My buddy's a hero again!" B.E.N. shouted as the ship did a victory lap around them.

"Maria did it!" Jim shouted up to them.

"We did it!" Maria corrected still laughing.

The crew's cheers mixed in with the cheers of the planet's residents. Their shouts of freedom were music to Jim's ears, but Maria's smile was the real prize. She was still covered in slime and dirt, but she never looked more beautiful in his opinion. Jim was about to kiss Maria again, but her stomach growled audible.

"Can the heroes get a shower and a meal?" She asked as laughter filled the night.

One last chapter and the epilogue…Hopefully my writer's block will be gone.


	14. Chapter 14: Remember when

"Jim…Jim…This is Maria Nett trying to contact first mate of the _Arrow's Legacy_. Is he in the area? Over." Maria whispered in Jim's ear bringing him back to reality.

He smiled over his shoulder at Maria when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind. He had not meant to ignore her, but he could not focus on both her and his thoughts. Each required his full attention, but Maria would be with him hopefully forever while his thoughts only for a moment.

"Contact found. Proceed with message." He replied and Maria laughed softly in his ear.

"We here at the Planet of Lost Technology were wondering if you planned to join in the festivities. Things aren't quite complete without you."

"I'm sorry. I just need time to myself for awhile, and every time I try to leave someone pulls me back." Jim muttered.

"Time to yourself…I'll leave you to yourself then." Maria replied pouting, but Jim grabbed her hand before she could move.

"Did I ever tell you that you get upset too easily?" Jim asked as he pulled Maria into the seat beside him.

"Did I ever tell you that you need to say what you mean?" Maria retorted.

Jim knew they must have made an interesting site. The two heroes of a planet, not dancing and laughing like everyone else, but instead sitting by themselves at an empty table in the corner. Not to mention the fact that Maria had her arms folded over her chest with a pout that could rival the most spoiled child in universe.

"Seems like every time things start going well with us, I say something stupid, or a giant worm kidnaps you." Jim commented after the silence became too much for him.

"Yes, it's always your fault. Since this is about as alone as you're going to get, want to tell me what's going on in your mind?"

"First promise you won't storm off and never speak to me again."

"This is me you're talking to Jim. I may storm off, but I'll probably speak to you again in a few years." She replied, and to Jim's relief a hint of a smile crossed her face.

"What are we going to do now? I know you're not supposed to leave the planet, but I can't help but wonder how they can keep you here if you don't want to stay." Jim commented, and Maria sighed.

"What makes you think I don't want to stay? This is my home. This is where I belong."

"Other than the fact that you always laugh or look away when people welcome you home, I don't really know what you want to do. I mean I'm just the guy who's in love with you. I don't know anything. I could guess that you belong with me though."

"Jim, you're the most irritating man I've ever met. Everything's a joke to you!" Maria almost hissed over the table.

Jim thanked his lucky stars that looks couldn't kill because if they could, he would have been dead on the spot. That didn't mean he was going to drop the subject. He always was a risk taker. Besides this was an argument he could not afford to lose.

"What makes you think I'm joking around? Just because I'm thinking about your happiness makes me irritating?" Jim asked, but the look on Maria's face made him regret saying anything.

She bit her trembling bottom lip slightly and looked away from Jim's concern-filled eyes. He did not understand. He could never understand.

"Jim…I can't be like you. I can't live for adventure anymore. I can't make spur of the moment decisions. I have an entire planet to think about. I…I…I have to learn how to be happy here even if that means living without you." Maria muttered as she quickly rubbed her hand against her eyes before anyone could see her distress.

Jim wanted to comfort her, but he couldn't force himself to move. This Maria was worse than the one who hated him for losing her ship. She was supposed to do what she wanted, when she wanted. She was supposed to think of ways to get through this, not just give up.

"Come with me." Jim ordered suddenly causing Maria to look up sharply.

Without waiting for a response, he grabbed her hand and pulled her from the building, ignoring the curious looks the other party-goers gave them. He continued to walk until he was absolutely sure that no noise from the party could interrupt them before he pulled Maria into his arms. He knew she was confused, but this was something he had to do.

"What does the sunset mean to you?" Jim asked glancing up at the first stars that were beginning to appear.

Maria followed his line of vision, and a hint of a smile graced her face. She was being foolish. How could she sacrifice moments like this for a home she never knew?

"Before it reminded me of a memory that I couldn't remember, but now it reminds me of a time when I hated you. I hated you because you distracted me from my mission. I couldn't protect my ship and be around you at the same time. You actually stayed on my mind all the time to the point that I had to keep reminding myself what I had to do." Maria explained softly as she rested her head against Jim's chest.

"I think I hated you because you reminded me a lot of myself. You seemed so determined to do things your way no matter what people said. Not to mention how much anger and frustration you kept bottled up that you just happened to let out on me. Maybe I wanted to save you like Silver saved me. I don't know what happened, but I went from wanting to get to know you into falling in love with you." Jim replied as he rested his head on top of hers.

"So does this mean the sunrise still means new beginnings?" Maria asked even though she knew the answer.

"I guess we'll see what time brings…"

Sorry guys about this taking so long. Hope I didn't disappoint. I lied about how much was left. I'm almost done so bear with me!


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